Improvement in apparatus for the manufacture of illuminating gas



UNITED STATES EDWARD JONES, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THEAMEEIOAN` PATENT A OFFICE COAL-GAS LIGHT IMPROVEMENT COMPANY, OF SAMEPLACE.

y IMPROVEMENT IN APPARATUS FUR THE NIANUFACTURE 0F ILLUMINATING GAS.

Specication forming part of Letters Patent No. 116,450, dated June 27,1871.

To all whom fit may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD J oNEs, of Boston, in the county of Sui'olkand State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvementin Apparatus for the Manufacture of Coal-Gas, of which the following isa full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to theaccompanying drawing making part of this specication, in which- Figurelis a perspective view of the apparatus complete. Fig. 2 is a rearelevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section on theline m as of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal vertical section throughthe hydraulic main and pipes immediately connected therewith.

The method commonly employed in gas-works of cutting off communicationbetween the retort and the hydraulic main during the drawing of thecharge is by means of a dip-pipe7 descending into and sealed by theliquid contents of the main. When these dip-pipes are used, however, thepressure under which the gas is made checks and diminishes itsproduction, and hastens the accumulation of iiXed carbon in the retorts,which thus accelerates their destruction. To overcome these objectionsgas apparatus has been constructed in which dip-pipes are dispensedwith, and the retorts, operated without pressure by the introduction ofa valve at some convenient point between the retort and the hydraulicmain, the said valve when closed eii'ectually shutting offcommunication, (as required when the retort is to be charged,) and whenopen allowing the free production and ow of the gas into'the hydraulicmain. This apparatus, although it produced the most advantageous resultsby increasing the production of gas from a given quantity of coal, andretarding the accumulation of tixedrcarbon within the retorts, wasnevertheless liable to the objection that in case the person in chargeneglected to open the valve at the commencement of the generation of thegas the pressure within the retort would cause the luting to be blownout, and if the valve was still permitted to remain closed the pressurewould increase and an explosion would occur, throwing off the lid orcover of the mouth-piece of the retort, and endangering the safety ofthe works.

My invention has for its object to remove these difculties and consistsin a gas apparatus having two outlet-pipes for conducting the gas fromthe retort into a main or receiver, one of these pipes being providedwith a valve or cut-oi', which, when open, will allow the gas to flowfreely to the desired point, the other pipe exten ding down into thehydraulic main to a suiiicient distance to form an ordinary dip-pipe,which is sealed by the liquid contents of the main, by whicharrangement, when the valve or cut-ott' is open, the gas will iiowfreely and without pressure to the desired point, while, if the valve orcut-oft' is allowed to remain closed through negligence during theproduction of the gas, it will pass through the dip-pipe into thehydraulic main in the ordinary way, thus eftectually guarding againstand preventing the slightest possibility of explosion and accident, asthe gas can pass at all times from the retort by one or the other of theoutlet-pipes whether the valve or cut-off is open or closed.`

To enable others skilled in the art to understand and use my invention,I will proceed to describe the manner in which- I have carried it out.

In the said drawing, A represents an ordinary retort, from which risesthe stand-pipe B leading to the bridge-pipe G. D E are two outlet-pipes,which are connected with the bridge-pipe O. One of these pipes D, whichis provided with a valve or cut-off, G, merely communicates with thehydraulic main H without descending into it, while the other pipe, E,extends down into the main H, forming a dip-pipe, which is sealed in theliquid contents of the main, as seen in Fig. 4.

When it is desired to draw the charge from the retort A the valve G isclosed by means of the lever a, which efl'ectually cuts offcommunication between the retort and the hydraulic main H through thepipe D, while the gas cannot iiow back to the retort through the pipe E,as its lower end is sealed in the liquid contents of the main. As soonas the retort has been charged the valve G is opened, which allows thegas to flow freely and without pressure through the outlet-pipe D intothe hydraulic main H. If, however, the valve Gr is allowed to remainclosed through the negligence of the person in charge, the gas will passunder pressure through the outlet-pipe E into the main H in the ordinaryway, thereby eii'ectually preventing all dangerof explosion or accident.Any suitable valve or cut-off may be applied to the pipe D, and insteadof leading the pipe D into the hydraulic main it may be led directly tothe point to which it is desired to conduct the gas Without departingfrom the spirit of my inventiomthe principle of which consists inproviding a means for conducting the gas from the retort to the desiredpoint at all times, Whether the valve G is open or closed. As the valveG is situated outside the main it can be easily reached for repairs, andin case it should become necessary to temporarily remove the pipe D Withits valve, suitable caps can be applied at the points b c, and the gasallowed to pass through the dippipe into the'hydraulio main in the usualmanner, thus avoiding delay and inconvenience.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

The outlet-pipe D with its valve or cut-off, connected with the retort Aso as to conduct the gas Without pressure to the desired point, incombination with the outlet-pipe E, which is also con-

